Lebet & Fils Hunting Cased Pocket Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1860
This large 18K gold pocket chronometer, created by Lebet & Fils of Buttes, Switzerland, dates to approximately 1860 and was produced for the American market. The watch features a heavy four-body "bassine et filets" hunting case.
Both the case exterior and bow are elaborately decorated with chased floral motifs and deep foliage engravings, with a central monogram escutcheon on the back cover. The watch comes with an original gold chain and a gold key accented with a diamond-set letter "H". Internally, the timepiece contains a 22-jewel, frosted and gilt three-quarter plate movement equipped with a fusee-and-chain system, maintaining power, a pivoted detent escapement, and a free-sprung helical balance spring.
The white enamel dial displays gilt Roman numerals and a subsidiary seconds indicator, complemented by blued steel fleur-de-lys hands. The watch measures 60 mm in diameter and is signed on the movement and cuvette.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- circa 1860
- Type
- Hunting cased pocket chronometer
- Maker
- Lebet & Fils
- Signed
- Cuvette and movement
- Dimensions
- 60 mm
- Escapement
- Pivoted detent
- Case Material
- 18K Gold
- Movement Type
- Three-quarter plate with fusee and chain
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Case Serial Number
- 5201
- Maker / attribution
- Lebet & Fils
Design
- Visible features
- • Case features chased floral decoration on the band, pendant, and bow • Dial equipped with blued steel fleur-de-lys hands • Movement contains a diamond end-stone • Includes a matching gold chain and diamond-set winding key
- Condition and Provenance
- The auction description reports that the timepiece is in very good condition. The provenance of the object is limited to its description as a piece made for the American market around 1860. The specific history of the piece between its manufacture in Buttes and its appearance for auction remains unrecorded in the source material provided.
- Case and Aesthetic Details
- The watch is housed in a substantial four-body 18K gold hunting case described as "bassine et filets." The exterior exhibits significant decorative work, with the case band, pendant, and bow featuring chased floral patterns. The front and back covers are heavily engraved with foliage, with the reverse side centered by an escutcheon bearing a small, unidentified monogram. Accompanying the watch is an original matching gold chain and a gold key. The key exhibits a scalloped border and is finished with a diamond-set initial "H," maintaining the decorative theme of the piece. The white enamel dial uses gilt Roman numerals and incorporates a sunk subsidiary seconds register at the bottom, marked by blued steel hands in a fleur-de-lys pattern.
- Movement and Technical Specification
- The movement is a 22-jewel, frosted and gilt three-quarter plate calibre designed for precision timekeeping. It utilizes a traditional fusee and chain mechanism for constant force, augmented by a maintaining power feature to ensure the watch keeps running during winding. The escapement is a pivoted detent type, a configuration often found in high-grade chronometers of the mid-19th century. Regulation is handled by a two-arm compensation balance, which incorporates gold poising and timing screws for adjustment. The balance spring is a free-sprung blued steel helical type, and the balance staff is secured with a diamond end-stone. The movement is signed, and technical specifications are inscribed on the hinged gold cuvette.
Identification
- Serial number
- 5201
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The monogram on the escutcheon is not identified
- Research required: The specific nature of the technical details engraved on the cuvette is not listed in the text